Cisco partners must grow Cisco reseller business by $20B

Cisco partners need to contribute $20 billion in new business over the coming years to help the network giant meet CEO John Chambers' aggressive long term growth plan of 12% to 17% the next three to five years, according to a story in ChannelWeb. ChannelWeb cites from a keynote address given by Cisco channel chief Keith Goodwin at the company's Partner Summit last week: "There are two ways to we could do that. We could recruit thousands of new partners, but that's not our strategy. Our strategy is to build it through each and every one of you in this room by continuing to invest in you."

Specific channel initiatives include the Cisco Partner Exchange to enable partners to collaborate "as a means for scaling up to meet the growth targets." Cisco is also creating a new tier of reseller specifically for the network-centric data center.

How should customers take advantage of these new goals for Cisco partners in order to get good deals? 

More from Cisco Subnet:

* Cisco drops plans to beta CCDE practical exam
* Cisco's skill shortage math doesn't add up
* 3Com and Cisco dumb and dumber?
* CCDE practical beta test cancelled
* Nexus: Hands on with NX-OS
* CCNP lab essentials
* Jeff Doyle: Understanding MPLS

Go to Cisco Subnet for more Cisco news, blogs, discussion forums, security alerts, book giveaways, and more.

- 20 useful sites for Cisco networking professionals
- This month's Cisco Subnet giveaways
- Network World's IT Buyer's Guide: Cisco products
- Subscribe to Network World's Cisco Alert, which includes a weekly digest of all Cisco Subnet items